I

.I Nuclear material shipments continue

Silo 3 contract awarded

Local university benefits from Fernald equipment

messacte from I

Safe Shutdown nears completion When production halted at Femald 10 years ago, large quantities of process materials were left inside hundreds of

buildings on site because many people believed production activities would start again someday. Someday never

came. Instead, the mission at the site changed to environmental cleanup and ridding the site of the materials left

behind posed a serious challenge.

Not only were the materials left behind among the most contaminated on site, they were also held up in a

rapidly deteriorating system of equipment and piping. This unstable environment

posed a risk to workers, the community and the environment.

As a result, the Department of Energy (DOE) and the U.S. Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA) identified Safe Shutdown - the work associated with preparing

former production buildings to be decontaminated and dismantled- as one of the

highest cleanup priorities.

Our first step in addressing this challenge was to evaluate each facility and priori-

tize buildings based on conditions and risk. Mechanical devices like elevators,

overhead cranes and ventilation systems were no longer operable within the old,

deteriorated buildings. As a result, our employees performed safe shutdown

activities without heat in the winter and without air conditioning in the summer, in a

workplace that was often dark and cramped. Wearing respirators and double sets of

anti-contamination clothing, workers hade removed more than 500,000 pounds of

nuclear materials and thousands of gallons of reagents like acids, bases and organics.

" 1 All Safe Shutdown activities will be complete this March thanks to the hard work

and dedication of our team members. Completion of this program is a first within the

DOE complex and remarkably, it was completed years ahead of schedule and millions of dollars under budget.

More impokntly, safe shutdown activities have so far been completed safely, which is our number one priority.

A recognition ceremony will be held on March 15 where we will commend the team members who completed

the Safe Shutdown project and thank them for bringing us one step closer to achieving the overall cleanup

mission and eventual closure of the site.

c

D i r E t o ~ D O E ~ F e Z l d

On the Cover: Water Sampling Technician, Mike Stott, downloads water level information from the Biodenitrification Surge Lagoon. The Surge Lagoon contains runoff water from the waste pits and former production area (7023-DOOM).

F E R N A L D R E P O R T P A G E 2

emoving uramum pro element in meeting the Accelerated Cleanup Plan. Notable progress has been made and an exciting new development is underway to help to reach this goal. Progress to date includes:

Sold approximately 1.8 million pounds of uranium to the private sector; Shipped 4800 of the Loss of Fluid Test (LOFT) fuel rods to a fuel processor; Screened out approximately 3 million pounds of materials no longer considered “product”.

- . An initiative to establish a Uranium Management Center of Excellence at the Oak Ridge facility is also being developed, whereby Oak Ridge will become the clearinghouse for uranium, thereby freeing up other sites to begin cleanup.

Fernald’s nuclear materials are expected to be removed from the site by 2002 (6714-0265).

Above: IT received &e first of two dryers on Dec. 23. The dryer was placed between IT’S new Gas Control System Facility and the Material Handling Building, adjacent to Fernald’s sir waste pits. The second dryer arrived this month (6944-00456).

will begin excavating pit materials that do not require treatment (i.e. thermal drying) to meet off-site disposal requirements, and will continue loading waste into railcars for shipment. IT and Fluor Daniel Fernald will concentrate on working through timing or logistical issues during the transfer of loaded railcars for off-site shipment.

smoothly, IT will begin step three, which involves excavation of pit materials requiring treatment. IT will initiate full-scale operation of the rotary dryers to remove excess moisture from the waste before loading the waste into railcars. Shipments to Envirocare will gradually increase at a controlled rate.

When DOE and Fluor Daniel Fernald are satisfied that transportation and disposal activities are running

F E R N A L D R E P O R T P A G E 3

Safe Shutdown Continued holdup material removal in selected areas of Plant 6

Completed packaging Tank Farm holdup material

Completed removal of 700 gallons of oil from Plant 6 rolling mill

Decontamination & Dismantlement ThoriumPlant 9 Complex -

Continued structural steel size reduction, decontamination of equipment and demobilization cellaneous Small Structures Project - Dismantled Building 8F (Drum Washer), bringing total number of dismantled structures to 53

Maintenancerank Farm Complex and Water Storage Tank Project -

Boiler Planwater Plant - 0 Began water storage tank construction

Completed all field activities ility DemolitiodSupplemental Environmental Projects - Evaluating proposals for decontamination of over 360 tons of track rail and associated hardware; previous negotiations with DOE-Ashtabula regarding the transfer of these materials were discontinued due to contract differences

0 Continued preparation of boxes containing copper motor windings for shipment to DOE-Oak Ridge as a site-to-site property transfer for recycling

Awarded contract for remediation of Silo 3 to Rocky Mountain Remediation Services on Dec. 18,1998, more than five months ahead of schedule

Briefed Silos Project Critical Analysis Team on review of proposals for Silos 1&2 Accelerated Waste Retrieval Project; submitted Consent Package to DOE for review

Completed 72-hour Proof-of-Principle demonstration test at Vortec (non-joule-heated vitrification testing contractor)

F E R N A L D R E P O R T P A G E 5 ". - ^

Cleanup Update

Partnerships important to Fernald w:o: sities,

comes to enhancing Fernald’s technical effectiveness, DOE and Daniel Fernald rely heavily on their special partnerships with univer- colleges and vocational schools. In December, Fernald Technical

University Programs participated in the INROADS/Greater Cincinnati-Dayton, Inc. Talent Pool - an event where minority students network with peers, participate in interview workshops and talk to corporate representatives. Fluor Daniel Femald was among 20 companies that set up corporate displays and discussed opportunities avail- able to potential interns.

Fernald’s current INROADS student is Stephanie Dudley, an undergraduate from Ohio University majoring in industrial technology and minoring in business adminis- tration. Dudley, who spends her summer and winter breaks at the site, has learned a lot since coming to Fernald four years ago. Partnerships between students like Dudley and Fluor Daniel Fernald support DOE’S mission by providing fresh perspectives, exceptional customer service and technological leadership - a combination certain to enhance Fernald’s technical effectiveness and cleanup mission.

Right: The INROADS program gives students the skills, knowledge and experience needed to help them excel in business (7040-00005).

Silos Project Subcontract Awarded

luor Daniel Fernald recently awarded a subcontract to Rocky Mountain Remediation Services L.L.C. (RMRS), F based in Golden, Colorado for the remediation of Silo 3,

which contains about 5,100 cubic yards of cold metal oxides. The subcontract, valued at over $16 million, was awarded Dec. 18, 1998.

RMRS will be responsible for the design and construction of a remediation facility, retrieval and treatment of the Silo 3 material, packaging of the treated waste, and shutdown and dismantlement of the remediation facility. The company has extensive experience with waste treatment and specializes in environmental restoration and regulatory compliance at other DOE facilities. They will uti- lize the skills and experience of Fernald employees to operate and

maintain its facilities. RMRS was selected for the Silo 3 project because of its technical qualifications and excellent safety record. Upon completion of the facility design phase of the subcontract, which is expected to take 20 months, RMRS will build facilities next to

Silo 3. After the material is removed from Silo 3, it will be stabilized using a proprietary chemical process called Envirobondm which chemically binds the regulated metals in the silo material. Following the treatment process, the material will be compressed into bricks using a second proprietary process called Envirobricm. The treated waste will then be shipped by Fluor Daniel Fernald to an approved off-site disposal facility. Treatment operations are scheduled to begin at Fernald in early 2002. All work, including dismantlement of the treatment

__ . ....... facilities;is expected to.be.complete by the of 2003. - _ _ _- _- ... . - .. . .. ._ - - - .. . -. - - -- - - - - -- - .-

Above: The Silo 3 Small Scale Waste Retrieval team was recognized for their hard work in extracting waste samples so vendors could use them to test their proposed technologies (6759-00320).

8 F E R N A L D R E P O R T P A G E 8

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.. Integrated safety management n initiative is underway to ensure safety is integrated into management and work practices at all levels of the organization. A Integrated Safety Management (ISM) is an extension of Fernald’s successful Safety First Program. Execution of ISM begins by . . 1 Lffect ively merging safety manage-

ment into all areas of work planning and execution. The program consists of five core work functions that provide the necessary elements for all work activities. Team members are expected to:

define the scope of work; analyze the hazards; develop and implement hazard controls; perform work within controls; provide feedback and continuous improvement.

Below and right: Fernald team members are currently working on several initiatives to promote and integrate ISM into existing programs at the site.

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F E R N A L D R E P O R T P A G 9 4

A busy year for the Fernald Citizens Advisory Board

e Fernald Citizens Advisory Board (FCAB) experienced several changes last year including a transition from the leadership of John T Applegate (chair of the FCAB since its inception in 1993) to Jim

Bierer (member of the FCAB since 1993 and vice-chair since 1997). FCAB initiatives for 1998 included:

Monitored Fernald’s status as a Defense Closure Fund Site; Advocated intermodal transportation of low-level waste from Fernald

Participated in a complex-wide workshop on low-level waste; Supported a positive initiative to use Fernald as an environmental and

to the Nevada Test Site;

cultural center. FCAB plans for 1999 include:

Host a complex-wide workshop on low level-waste transportation; Facilitate future use of the site for natural resources, cultural and

Continue evaluating important projects such as the Silos, Waste Pits

Continue encouraging and advocating internodal transportation to the

historical purposes;

and On-Site Disposal Facility;

Nevada Test Site.

Above: from lef); members Fawn Thompson and Tom Wagner; vice chair; Jim Bierer, chairman and technical consultant, Doug Sarno discussed the May

-- Transportation Workshop at a recent FCAB meeting (7020-D001).---- __

CRO anticipates I999 as turning point year

s year, the Community Reuse Organization (CRO) hopes to kick off programs to help site T workers and the community adjust to Fernald’s

closure following cleanup. “During its first year, the CRO focused on organiz-

ing and securing start-up funding from DOE,” said CRO Chair David McWilliams. “Our focus has been on planning and collecting input from the public and Fernald workers on issues like final land use of the site and potential economic development programs for workers and the community.”

Some noteworthy 1998 accomplishments included two grant awards: a $265,000 planning grant from DOE and a $50,000 grant from the Ohio Department of Development for an entrepreneurial assistance program;

Fernald site; and prioritization of economic development programs.

recommendation to DOE on final land use of the

With most of the planning phase complete, McWilliams views 1999 as a turning point year for the CRO. “Our plan is to submit a Community Transition Plan to DOE in March, and following

programs later in the year,” explained McWilliams. _ _ p ~ c _ ~ e w , I l _ o P ~ ~ Y ~ e g i ~ ~ P ~ e m ~ ~ g - - _ __ __

Above: The goal of the CRO’S proposed economic development program is to create or erpand job-producing businesses through loans, grants and low-cost business facilities (6904-00013).

F E R N A L D R E P O R T P A G E 1 0

Making - -

^_^_-__-_I-^--

nfortunately, there are some parents who can’t afford some of the basic necessities for their children, let alone the toys most of U us associate with the holidays. That’s where the Fernald Wish

Tree Program comes in. For the fifth year, Fernald employees pitched in to make the season a

little brighter for some local families in need of assistance. ‘We work with the schools to identify families that could use some help, and then employees have the opportunity to purchase and wrap presents for the children,” said Katie Payne, one of the event’s coordinators. “It’s all done anonymously so we never get to see the expressions on the kid’s faces, but just knowing that we’ve made a difference is what it’s all about.” This year, team members helped approximately 150 families have a happy holiday. Maybe there is a Santa after all.

Above: Fernald employees Sue Peterman, Janice Oxendine and Carla Shanks wrapped gifts for hundreds of kids the in tri-state (7034-00001).

Local college benefits from Fernald cleanup ecently Cincinnati State Technical and Community College held an Open House at the Institute for Advanced Manufacturing Sciences (IAMS) in Norwood to introduce its new electricaVprocess control training facility. This $1.5 million-plus facility is = R designed to give students the necessary skills to install and maintain equipment used in today’s high-tech manufacturing environ-

ment. What’s unique about this facility is that a good portion of the classroom is outfitted with equipment from Fernald.

“It would be a shame to keep this equipment sitting on a shelf unused,” said Hontas Bailey, Fluor Daniel Fernald property manager. ‘Through the DOE’S Energy Related Laboratory Equipment (ERLE) Grant, we were able to partner with Cincinnati State in their effort to set up a new training facility.”

According to Bob Turner, instructor at Cincinnati State, “The equipment from Fernald has helped us tremendously. There is no way we, or most other colleges for that matter, could afford this level of equipment. Our students can now walk into a manufacturing environment that’s realistic, challenging and safe.”

ERLE grants of Fernald equipment have gone to the University of Cincinnati and other universities in this region, but this is the biggest donation to date. According to Bailey, “It’s a good fit and it’s nice to see this equipment being used in our com- munity.” Turner agrees, “Our students will leave here better prepared and confident they can walk into a new job and perform safely. I am excited that Fernald has helped us make this a top notch training facility.”

The sudden halt of uranium production in the late 1980’s left numerous pumps, control panels, and electrical equipment sitting idle.

Right: The system built using excess Fernald equipment will give students the opportunity to monitor process controls like flow pressure and temperature (4994-0004).

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Environmental

The following information was recently added to the’Public Reading Room, Administrative Record files and Post Record of Decision files at DOES Public Environmental Information Center (PEIC):

On-Site Disposal Facility and Soil Characterization & Excavation Project o Ohio EPA comments on the Substantive Wetland Permitting Cross-Walk for the Silos Infrastructure Project o Ohio EPA approval on the Trap Range Stabilization Package

Facilities Closure and Demolition Project o Schedule revisions from DOE-Fernald to the regulators requesting a resequencing of the milestones for D&D activities o D&D re-sequencing and extension request letter from EPA concurring with DOE’S request to change the milestones o Response actions related to residue incidents at the On-Site Disposal Facility

Silos Project ’ e Ohio EPA comments on the Silos Infrastructure Project Design Package o Fernald Proof-of-Principle Testing Work Plan Assurance and the Quality Plan for.the Silos 1 & 2 Proof-of-Principle Testing from

Chem-Nuclear Systems Corporation

Aquifer Restoration Project e September 1998 Operating Report for the Re-Injection Demonstration

Miscellaneous o The Economic Impact of Femald on the Greater Cincinnati economy prepared by the Economics Research GroupKenter for Economic

o Historic American Engineering Record; completed for the Ohio Historic Preservation Office o Historical documentation of facilities and structures at Femald o Historical documentation of Fernald and its role within the DOE complex

Educatioflniversity of Cincinnati for the Fernald Community Reuse Organization

Fernald Report Gary Stegner, Public Infomation Director U.S. Department of Energy Fernald Environmental Management Project P.O. Box 538705, Cincinnati, OH 45253-8705 Telephone: 513-648-3153, E-Mail: gay-stegner@fernald.gov Fernald Web Site: www.fernald.gov .

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